I N D I A F O X X: Visionary designer/Hussein Chalayan

A few of you wonderful fashion followers may know of this genius designer but those of you who don't I have wrote a little (A LOT) piece on Hussein Chalayan and his links to the movement of fashion technology.

I have researched this designer in more depths for my new college brief which is based on finding out the messages and concepts of a designers collections. This is what I wrote about Mr. Chalayan and his involvement in the industry.

So take a read if you fancy!

Chalayan has been involved with the rapid movement of technology incorporated within fashion design. Working in the fashion industry for over 15 years Chalayan has always bought something interesting to the catwalk that shocks and astounds audiences.

In the 2000 collection of ‘Afterword’s’ the collection explores the concept of ‘wearable, portable architecture’. This unusual perception shows us that Chalayan uses personal perspective of his interpretation if how he visions fashion. This creative attitude has inspired many other designers to follow in his footsteps and investigate the complexity of fashion technology and how far advanced this viewpoint will affect not only the target market (which is avant-garde) but will further inspire everyday life.

The backdrop was a fresh, clear white space arranged like a sitting room occupied with four chairs, a wooden table, a television screen and several pots and vases. These were not only props to enhance his collection but these ‘props’ were involved with the clothing which was such an original way of showing his collection. Not only was this any ordinary collection but also it was shown to be presented on stage, almost like a performance instead of a fashion catwalk.

His innovative use of pattern cutting and the imaginative use of materials illustrates the inventive and capturing aspect that amazed the fashion world today.

These skills express Chalayan’s 2000 ‘Afterword’s’ A/W collection perfectly demonstrating the use of transportable fashion and how he was inspired by evacuating with very little belongings in a short space of time.

For example, the ingenious cut of the seat covers are transformed into a dress on the model, which expresses a multi purpose use out of one element.

There displays a lot of thought, which went into the design process, and manufacturing of just one collection that he consistently expresses throughout his career.

The colours that were used expressed A/W such as the greys and blues but what shone through were the pastel hues used which would typically originate in the summer collections but instead Chalayan used these to brighten his collection of A/W 2000. There was one colour used that captured the collection the greatest and it was a deep orange/almost red. This colour was in a block garment and also has areas in the garments with the rest grey. This colour I believe symbolizes passion and confidence but due to the real influence of this collection it could also have meant departure and dis-attachment and the reason why he recreated portable belongings. The former of the concept was inspired by the news from Kosovo about people fleeing their houses in a rush during the war, but also by his own experiences as a Turkish Cypriot living abroad; the latter was a reference to the culture of sun worship and the cult of celebrity. This expresses the use if red and orange used with the sun worship idea and Chalayan boldly incorporated this color in with the dull shades.

Here are a few images from the 'Afterword' collection: